Cyclocross Racing - Running hurts

I started jogging a few weeks ago, with two 40 minute very slow jogs last week while on vacation in northern Arizona where the altitude and terrain kicked my butt. After getting back to OK on Tuesday night, I decided that yesterday warranted a good trot. I was out maybe 25 minutes and am just dead today. It's a hard adjustment and I need someone to tell me that it'll be worth it come the 'cross season.

I started jogging a few weeks ago, with two 40 minute very slow jogs last week while on vacation in northern Arizona where the altitude and terrain kicked my butt. After getting back to OK on Tuesday night, I decided that yesterday warranted a good trot. I was out maybe 25 minutes and am just dead today. It's a hard adjustment and I need someone to tell me that it'll be worth it come the 'cross season.

do you have lots of running in your races? If not you probably dont need to run a a lot. In the SW you dont run much so I dont train for it specifically. If I lived in the PNW it would certainly be worth your while, but it really depends on your area.

Don't run for cross unless the courses you ride warrant it. Ride more run less.

As far as training for cross goes, I wouldnt run farther than 50 yards at a time.
Personally I like to run and I often do 3-8 miles but thats just because I enjoy jogging. For cross training I do 20 yard hill sprints carrying my bike and I try to do about 10 of them each workout.

I don't ever run more than 30min and that's counting warm-up/cool-down. Just get out, do your hill repeat intervals over the course of 20min and call it a day.

This year I am not running because of a knee injury but, I can tell you that yes it is definitely worth it. It's not that you do a whole lot of running in cross but at some point in a cross race you will be completely exhausted and when you are in that mental and psysical condition then you have your training to fall back on. The stronger your running muscles are the smoother you will be which actually helps conserve energy.

But yea it doesn't require a lot of run training. two 30 minutes a week will suffice.

I would add one thing about running that makes it beneficial no matter what the course, and that is injury prevention. Strengthening the muscles and tendons used in running is really beneficial to injury prevention when you do jump off of the bike.

I still hate it though.

Good point jonestr, very good point.

I typically have to work up a pretty good base by jogging in order for any real running/training to happen without hurting myself. I think I've gotten past that phase, though, and hope to just do shorter and more intense running workouts to supplement time on the bike. If I try to jog a little bit and hit 'cross season without longer jogs then I pay for it in many ways.

I typically run 30-40 minutes twice a week.

As you all know, there are cycling shoes that work or don't work for your feet. This is the same with running shoes. Don't go to a big box sports store and buy whatever they have on sale, it can be the wrong type of shoe and can cause injury.

Go to a running specific store where the employees are runners themselves and talk to them about your history and goals. The store I went to, they watched me walk, sized me and then pulled out several models. Then I wore two different shoes, went for a short jog, switched out one shoe, jogged, until I found the shoe that was most comfortable.

Run-ups are great places to make up distance. Also you may live in an area where there isn't much running but the winter is very unpredictable and you may have to do lots of running at your state champs or nats.